Relationship between QT interval prolongation and structural abnormalities in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: A change in the current paradigm

It is postulated that cardiac structural abnormalities observed in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) contribute to the electrophysiologic abnormality of QT interval (QTc) prolongation. We sought to evaluate whether QTc prolongation is associated with intrinsic abnormalities in cardiac structure and function that characterize CCM. Consecutive patients undergoing liver transplant work-up between 2010 and 2018 were included. Measures of cardiac function on stress testing including cardiac reserve and chronotropic incompetence were collected prospectively and a corrected QTc ≥ 440 ms was considered prolonged. Overall, 439 patients were included and 65.1% had a prolonged QTc. There were no differences in markers of left ventricular and atrial remodeling, or resting systolic and diastolic function across QTc groups. The proportion of patients that met the criteria for a low cardiac reserve (39.2 vs 36.6%, p = .66) or chronotropic incompetence (18.1 vs 21.3%, p = .52) was not different in those with a QTc ≥ 440 vs <440 ms. Further, there was no association between QTc prolongation and CCM by either the 2005 World College of Gastroenterology or modified 2020 Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Consortium criteria. QT interval prolongation was not associated with structural or functional cardiac abnormalities that characterize CCM. These findings suggest that CCM and QT interval prolongation in cirrhosis may be two separate entities with distinct pathophysiological origins.